Gallup poll shows 11.3 per cent approval rating fall in the wake of coronavirus, economic woes and America’s withdrawal from Afghanistan
Source - Daily Telegraph - 23/10/21
Joe Biden's popularity has fallen more in his first nine months than any other US President since the Second World War.
An exhaustive study by Gallup showed Mr Biden's approval rating had plummeted by 11.3 per cent, worse than all the other 10 presidents before him
It indicated that Mr Biden has dropped further below the US public's expectations than his predecessors, and suggests he has a mountain to climb if he is to win back independent voters who have soured on him.
The figures showed that, over the course of his first three months from January 20 to April 19, Mr Biden's approval rating was 56 per cent.
But in the last three months, from July 20 to October 19, it had fallen to 44.7 per cent.
That slide of 11.3 per cent meant he fared worse than the previous holder of the record, Barack Obama, who saw his approval fall by 10.1 per cent over his first nine months.
Mr Biden appeared to have disappointed voters more than Jimmy Carter, who saw his rating fall by 8.9 per cent, and Donald Trump, whose rating fell by 4.4 per cent.
By contrast, George W. Bush's approval rating rose by 13.1 per cent and George H. W. Bush's by 12.0 per cent in their first nine months.
Mr Biden's average approval rating of 44.7 per cent for July to October was also the lowest of any of the 11 US Presidents since the Second World War, apart from Mr Trump.
Why has Mr Biden’s popularity declined?
The collapse of Mr Biden's popularity started in July, as coronavirus infections surged. It was exacerbated by the chaotic US withdrawal from Afghanistan in late August.
He has not bounced back since then and now faces pressing issues with the US economy, including rising inflation and supply chain problems.
Mr Biden is also struggling to reach consensus within his own party on his massive spending plans to overhaul US infrastructure and extend the social safety net.
Polling also suggests a growing entrenchment between Democrats and Republicans.
While 92 per cent of Democrats approve of Mr Biden's performance, only four per cent of Republicans do - one of the biggest such gaps Gallup has ever recorded for a president.
Mr Biden's standing with independent voters has collapsed, with only 34 per cent now approving of his job performance, compared to 55 per cent in June.
Time away from the White House
For the weekend, Mr Biden again left the White House for his home in Wilmington, Delaware.
He has spent more time away from the White House than Mr Trump had at this stage of his presidency.
All or part of 108 of Mr Biden's first 276 days in office have been spent either in Delaware or at the Camp David presidential retreat in Maryland.
On Saturday, it emerged that the Department of Homeland Security is planning to build a security fence around Mr Biden's $2.7 million beach house in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.
The US taxpayer will pay for the $455,000 project.
The beach house is Mr Biden's second home in Delaware, in addition to his main residence in the state's largest city, Wilmington.
Mr Biden has so far spent seven days of his presidency at the beach house, on two visits - but the construction of a new fence suggests he may go there more in future.
Return for Donald Trump?
Meanwhile, backing among Republicans for Mr Trump to run again in 2024 was growing.
A Quinnipiac poll showed 78 per cent of Republicans now want the former president to make another bid for the White House.
Tim Malloy, Quinnipiac polling analyst, said: "Support for the former President within the Republican party has grown."
Amid an immigration crisis at the Mexico border, opposition to Mr Trump's signature policy - a border wall - has also fallen to its lowest level since 2016.
Whether the US public supports a border wall is now "a toss-up" said Mr Malloy.
Republican insiders have suggested that Mike Pence, the former Vice-President, could emerge as the main potential opponent to Mr Trump in the race for the party's 2024 nomination.
Nikki Haley, Mr Trump's former United Nations ambassador, has said she will not run if Mr Trump does.
Ron DeSantis, the Governor of Florida, and Mike Pompeo, the former Secretary of State, are considered unlikely to run against Mr Trump.
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